The money will go toward building Woven’s editorial and sales teams, continued development of its technology and publishing platforms, and increasing video production via its in-house Woven Studios unit.

In 2015, Woven will move forward with its video strategy by producing original series and other forms of episodic content. It begins with the launch of its first three series: “Luminaries,” which will document millennials around the world working to fix problems in their communities; “Uncharted,” which will profile emerging music stars; and “Underbelly,” which will cover illegal sports like underground fighting and street racing.

As part of IVP’s investment in Woven, the firm’s Somesh Dash will join the publisher’s board of directors. IVP’s previous entertainment/tech investments include Netflix, Twitter, and Zefr.

In addition to IVP and UTA, MySpace co-founder Chris DeWolfe and Buddy Media co-founder Michael Lazerow also invested in Woven Digital. As did the San Francisco 49ers and former NBA players Baron Davis and Jermaine O’Neal, with the intention of helping Woven grow its sports vertical.

In total, across 11 media properties, Woven Digital claims to reach 90 million visitors per month. In April, Woven acquired the entertainment news site Uproxx, which alone counts for 26 million uniques per month. In 2010, the publisher had raised $5.5 million in a seed round.

Woven Digital Raises $18M, Will Launch First Original Series in Early 2015 was last modified: August 15th, 2017 by Wrap PRO Staff